Mining machine



Oct. 4, 1927.

R. .1. woop MINING MACHINE Original Filed March 17,1925 4 Shets-Sheetl jii y fymw M 0t.'4,19z1. R J WOOD 1,644,216

MINING MACHINE Original Filed March 17, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 4

, 1927' R. J. WOOD MINING MACHINE 4 sheets-sheet:

Original Filed March 17, 1923 Oct. 4 1

R. J.- WOOD MINING MACHINE Original Fil-ed March 17, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Oct. 4, 1927.

* UNITED STATES PATENT QFHCE.

ROBERT J. woon, or TWINBRANCH, WEST-V RGINIA, ASSIGNOR T GOODMAN MANU- FACTURING oo rnNY, or o IIoAGo, ILLINOIS, A ooRPoRArIoNorImimois.'

MINING MACHINE.

Grigina! application filed mlarch 17, 1923, Serial 625,752.

25, 1923, Serial No. 633,117. Renewed May '2, 1927.

This invention relates to improvements in scraper loading apparatus. particularly adapted for gathering and transporting loose material in mines, and has for its principal object to produce a'napparatus of the class described capable of gathering and transporting loose material, such as coal at the working face of a mine room or entry and transporting the material to" another point to be loaded in mine cars.

The apparatus herein disclosed relates particularly to the utilization of coal cutting machines as an integral part of my invention and is a division of application for improvements in scraper loading apparatus by Robert- J. Wood, Serial Number 625,752, filed March 17, 1923. i

My invention may best,- be understood by reference to the drawings which illustrate one form in which it may be embodied, wherein: Y

Figure 1 is a plan view of .a typical installation of my apparatus in a mine, and includes as a cooperating element a coal mining machine of the overcutting or slabbing (V E. V Figure 2 is a side view of an overcutting or slabbing machine showing my improved apparatus applied thereto.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail showing the scraper and a cooperating bearing device, with parts broken away.

Figure i is a sectional view taken on line H of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Figure 3. Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of Figure 3.

Figure-7 is a sectional view taken on line 77 of Figure 3.

2 Figure 8 is a detailed plan view of a rope deflecting arm used in connection with my apparatus.

Figure 9 1s a transverse section of the armshown in Figure 8.

Figures 1041-12 and 13 are diagrammatic views of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1 and show the scraper in various positions of operation thereof.

In order to illustrate the construction and operation of my invention, the accompanying drawings show a typical installation in a coal mine. Figure 1 and the diagrams in F g e 1 to 1 ot in lu e, h wam ne Divided and this room or'entry 10, being extended laterally from a ma n haulagepassage 11 in which are haulage tracks 12, 12 for movement of mine application filed December cars 13, 13 therealong. In the mining opera- 1 ti'on illustrated the coal is removed by advancing the working face indicated at 15 at the far end of ther-oom 10, this advancing being done by any approved mining methods as for instance, by cutting a kerf across theworking face 15 by means of a kerf cutting mining machine, and thereafter bla'sti'n or breaking down the portion of the wqr ing face so as to deposit the coal in a loose pile as indicated at 16 adjacent the working face. The devices for undercutting or blasting need not be shown or described in detail, as they form no part of the present'invention, excepting that under many conditions of nnning it is desirable to cut a kerf in the working face by means of a machine of the slabbing or overcutting type, indicated at 17, and when such a machine is used for this purpose it may be conveniently used as a part of the improved apparatus which embodies my invention. That is to say, a machine of the slabb ingtype is particularly adaptable for use as a pivotal turning device in connection with my improved scraper apparatus, although so far as the broad features of my lnvention are concerned,"other forms of turning devices may be used, as

. will hereinafter more fully appear.

As herein shown the scraper apparatus comprises a scraper 20, having a head rope 21 and a tail'rope 22 connected therewith to move the scraper reciprocably. The ropes are operably connected with a suitable power controlling device, which in the form shown comprises wind'ing'drums 23 and 2&1, mounted. on the base frame 26- of the mining machine 17 and connected with ropes 21 and 22 respectively. These winding'drums are arranged to he power driven in any suit able manner,'as for instance, by means "of a motor whi'ch'is the same motor used for operating the cutting machine. In the form shown, the 'operatin g and controlling de- Upon eitherend of the shaft 7 2 are "mounted.

the drums 28andl 24 together with their respective breaking and sliding clutch mechnemas the fl tt r s a ie Pa e used for the control of rope drums. 7 As herein shown the miningmachine 17 is mounted on tracks 1 2 branching from the main. track 12 into the room or entry 10, and

arranged to guide and support the cutting machine 17 while it is in position tocut a kerf or kerfs in the usual manner. The cutting machine is provided with a cutting element 30 of any approved type for cutting a lrerf, said cutting element being mounted on a turntable 83 rotatably mounted on the base frame 26 and movable vertically respective thereto by suitable means such as pinions 31, 31 on the cut-ting element 30 working in racks 32, 32 extending upwardly from the turntable 33. The turntable is arranged to be swung angularly during the cutting operation by suitable power mechanism which need not be described in detail, it being understood that the scraper apparatus is used in connection with the mining machine shown, only after the cutting operation has been completed, and :the mechani-. cal devices used for this cutting operation are inoperative.

Referring nowv more particularly to the details of the scraper apparatus, it will be seen from Figures 1 and 2 that the scraper is adapted at timesto'have lateral engagement with a curved bearing member 25. This bearing member is connected to a supporting beam pivotally fixed in the mine so that the beam will be swungangularly during the loading operation. Inthe preferred form shown this beam comprises the cutter element 30 of the cutting machine 1?, which cutting element is movable angularly respective to the base frame 26 of the machine, as has been hereinabove described. The hearing member is detachably connected adj acent the outer end of the cutting element so as to permit the removal thereof while said cutting element is being used for cut ting a kerf. Any suitable means may be provided for affording this detachable connection, as for instance, as shown in detail in Figures 6 and 7 which show a stud 36 extending upwardly from the central portion of the bearing 'arin25 through the cutting element 80 and detachably secured thereto by suitable means, such as a bolt 37, extending coaXially through the stud 36, and provided with a nut 38 engaging the upper face of the cutting element 30. The bearing arm 25 has limited pivotal movement r spective to the cutting element. For this purpose the upper and lower plates 39 and 40 of the bearing arm 25 are journaled on the stud 36. A plate L1 adapted to engage the under face of the cutting element 30 supports stud 3G, and when in position, ex

tends on opposite sides of said cutting element to provide bearing forthe upper plate on the central stud 38 in position to be engagediby the scraper 20 and tail line 22. A j

similar bearing roller tt is mounted at the forward end of the arm 25 in position-to form a bearing for the head line 21 and the scraper. A sheave is inounted'at-the rear end of the arm 25 in position to be engaged by the tail line 22, and is preferably provided with a guide 46 carried on the arm 25 so that the tail line passes t-herethrough and is retained on said sheave.

The scraper is adapted to have lateral. bearing engagement with the outer face of the bearing arm 25 as shown in detail in Figure 8. Means are provided for connecting the scraper and the bearing arm when in thisposition so that the scraper and bearing arm, together with the beam 30, will'be moved bodily by the draft means and swung pivotally about the turntable I have shown one means which maybe used for this purpose, which comprisesv a'projection 50 adjacent the forward end of the rocking arm 25 in position to engage the forward.

upright margin 51 on the inner or bearing side 52 of. the scraper. Another projection orstop 53 isprovided adjacent the rear end ofthe scraper in position to be engaged by a stop 54- on the scraper. By means of these reacting stops 50; 5'1, and 53, 5%, the scraper will be automatically connected with the bearing arm 25 when it is moved into lateral engagement therewith, as shown in Figure 3. Further means are provided for disconnect ing the scraper from the bearing arm when the scraper, together with the bearing arm and beam are moved forwardly to a prede termined point for instance; a direction changing device or deflector 55 is fixcdto the mine floor by suitable means such as mine jacks of the ordinary type, ata point where it is desired to limit the swinging movement ofthe beam 30. (See Figure 12.) The forward end of the bearing arm 25 is provided with an outwardly facing ,ca'm member, indicated at 56, which is adapted to engage the direction changing device 55"and cause the forward end of thebearing arm 25 to swing inwardly, thereby releasing the forward edge 51 of the scraper from the pro jection 50 on the bearing arm.

A. direction changing device 'is prefer ably positioned in advance of the pivotal connection of the beam 30, in order to provide a large angle of draft by means of the head or tail lines when the said beam is in extreme positions at one side or the other of the base frame 26. In the form shown this direction changing device comprises a ver tun hinged pick-up member .66, adapted to engage the ground, so as to deflect the draftropes upwardly to the roller in case they are temporarily slackened or dropped to the mine floor.

ing face.

The use and operation of my device above described will be understood by referring to the diagrams shown in Figures to 13,-inelusive. In Figure 10 the apparatus is shown in'position to start the loading operation adjacent the working face of a mine room or entry, with the loose material deposited in a broken state adjacent said work- The inner margin or toe of the pile of loose material is indicated at 16. The bearing arm is shown in position adjacent the outer end of the beam 30. In case a.

cutting machine such as described above is used it may first be necessarylto changethe vertical position of the cutting. element which comprises the beam 30, it being understood that machines of this type'are usually pro vided with an elevating device for the cutting element so as to cut a kerf at various heights. When the bearing arm 25 is connected for use with a scraper, however, this cutting element is adjusted to the proper height for this purpose. The draft lines 21 and 22 are trained so as to be movable about the bearing arm 25 and are also trained about suitably arranged direction changing devices as for instance, the head line 21 is trained about guide sheaves 68 and 69 in the haulageentry 11, thence to the fixed deflector and to the roller on the projecting support 61. The roller 65 is positioned within the path of movement of the arm 25. I The tail line is trained about a fixed guide 57 in the room 10, and another sheave 58 carried on the rear end of the machine 17. In the position shown in Figure 10, the scraper is shown adjacent the righthand rib or wall 15 in the initial or starting position for gathering a load. The tension on the tail rope is released to unwind reely from its drum 241 and tension is put on the head rope 21 by winding in on the drum 2?). The forward. margin 51 of the scraper is engaged with the stop 50 on the bearing arm 25 so as to cause the bearing arm and beam 30 to be swung angularly and describe. an are indicated. progressively in dotted lines in Figures 11 and 12. It will be noted that during this movement of the beam 30, the draft on the scraper and bearing arm is in a L, neral direction at less than a right angle with respect to the beam, and this angular draft serves to rock the forward end of the said arm, thereby disconnecting the scraper from the bearing arm and permitting it to pass onward about the outer side of the deflector 55. The movement of the beam 30 and arm 25 is thus limited, and they niai ntain the positionshown in Figure 12 while the scraper moves forwardly to apomt of discharge, as for instance, to the loading chute 19, extending over the edge of one of the cars 13, which is loaded in the usual manner. Movement of the scraper is then reversed by changing the power connections from the winding drum 23 to the winding drum 21, thus releasing the head rope 21 and pulling on the tail rope 22; The scraper is then moved rearwardly about the deflector 55 into engagement with a bearing arm 25.

and is automatically. connected thereto by means of the coacting stops 53 and 54 so that the bearing member 25 and beam 30 is returned angularly toward the initial position, as indicated in Figure 13. It. will be observed ;from this figure that the pull on the tail rope is generally in a direction at less than a right angle with respect to the'beam 30, so as to rock the bearing member 25 in the reverse direction, with the scraper 20 drawn inwardly whereby the scraper follows about a radius relatively shorter than that described by the scraper during its forward movement. The scraper thus avoids contact with the toe of the pile during its rearward angular movement. After the scraper has reached the limit of angular movement rearwardly, as shown in Figures 1 and 10, it is in position to start another forward loading movement. As the loading operation continues, the machine 17 "is advanced toward the working face until all the loose material is loaded out. I

While I have shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it will be understood that the con struction and arrangement of the various parts, and the uses to which the apparatus may be put,'may vary widely without departing from the scope of my invent-ion. Further more, although I have shown and described a mining machine of the overcutting or slabbing type as a convenient part of the apparatus, it will be understood that so far as the broader features of my invention are concerned, other forms of pivotally swinging beams may be substituted therefor, if desired. I do not therefore wish to be un derstood as limiting myself to the details of construction herein shown and described, excepting in so far as specifically defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: I v i 1. In a cutting and loading apparatus, in combination with a scraper having draft means for reciprocably moving the same, a kerf cutting machine provided with an angula-rly movable cutting element, and a bearing member for the scraper detachably con nected with said cutting element.

2. In a cutting and loading apparatus, in

combination with a scraper having draft means for reciprocably moving the same, a kerf cutting machine provided with an an gularly and vertically movable cutting element, and a bearing member for the scraper detachably connected with said cutting element,

8. In a cutting and loading apparatus, in combination with a scraper having draft means for reciprocably moving the same, a kerf cutting machine provided with an angularly movable cutting element, a bearing member for the scraper detachably connected with said cutting element, and power devices for said draft means mounted von said kerf cutting machine.

4:. In a cutting and loading apparatus, in combination with a scraper having a head line and a tail line for reciprocably moving the same, a kerf cutting machine provided kerf cutting machine provided with an an gularly movable cutting element, and a-rocking member detachably connected with said cutting element and adapted to have lateral engagement with said scraper during portion of its reciprocable movement.

6. In a cutting and loading apparatus, in combination with a scraper having draft means for reciprocably moving the same, a lrerf cutting machine provided with an angularly movable cutting element, a rock ing member detachably connected with said cutting element and adapted to have lateral engagement with said scraper during a portion of its reciprocable movement, and means for disengaging said scraper and rocking member at a predetermined point of forward angular movementof said beam.

Signed at Twin Branch in the county of McDowell and State of West Virginia, this 7th day of December, 1923.

ROBERTv J. IVOOD. 

